WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER GRADUATION

WRITER: Davies Sikanyika

LIFE AFTER CAMPUS

Almost every student looks forward to the day when he/she will not be required to hand in an assignment, studying theories and concepts of dead men, writing tests and exams etc. call this day, a day of academic liberation.

In as much the day of completion relieves a student from academic pressure, it gives rise to serious questions such as “will I find a job after completing school? or “will I have sufficient capital to start my own business “these questions if not properly handled result into stress and thus some students end up quitting school because they cannot see the light that is often promised at the end of the tunnel.

School Experience

with my 5year academic experience at the Copperbelt university, I realised that about 80% of students peruse programmes that they did not intend to do or programmes which they have little or no interest in, this affects the performance of many students. However, the most important thing to do, is to adapt to the knew programme of study by reading magazines, watching documentaries, movies that relate to the application of the programme of study in the industry.  Additionally, industrial attachments play a very important role in preparation for the industry and my advice is that as a student, you should start looking for internships as early as possible, if possible the road to pursue internship can begin in your second year.

Most companies will give excuses that they don’t have money to pay an intern but as a student, you should be wiling to offer your services for free, this will provide the necessary exposure to a student and as well as knowing the application of theories in the real world. As you do your internship make sure you do the given task in the most effective and efficient way as well as seeking clarity when not sure. Remember the first cut is the is the deepest, if the employer becomes satisfied with a student working culture, the employer may decide pay a minimum wage or even more or recommend a student to some other well to do companies.

After Completion

Being free from academic pressure is one of the best feeling ever. However, one significant problem emerges, lack of money; no money to buy bundles, lotion, clothes, shoes etc. at this point, finding a job becomes a reliable solution or starting a business. Starting a business also requires money, so it’s a solution as well as a problem. It is easy for someone who undertook internships while in school to look for a job because they have a starting point or have some contacts of prospective employers. On the other hand, it becomes difficult to those who never did internships because they have no contacts and have little or no idea of prospective employers or what is expected of them in the industry.

As for me, it was so easy to find a job just after completion because I had prepared for it in my second year when I started doing my attachments as a student intern. The company was so impressed with my passion to work and they employed me immediately after completion. I had other company options to choose from in a case where the company I did internships with didn’t employ me because I was exposed to the industry before completing school and I had a number of contacts for prospective employers. If you’re reading this post now and you don’t have chance to do internships, don’t lose hope, you can still offer your professional service for free for the sake of gaining experience and exposure.  A reasonable employer will definitely give you something at the end of the month provided that you have done your work properly.

Ageing Pressure

At the age of 25 and beyond as a fresh graduate, it feels as if the years are moving like days with little progress towards settling. Questions like when ‘will I buy a plot, who am I going to marry or who will marry me’ come to the mind almost every moment. And this leads to stress. For me, as a fresh graduate and experiencing most of these questions, the only solution that I have found to these seemingly pestering emerging questions is learning new skills, developing an entrepreneurship mind, gaining experience from the work place even if the salary is low etc.  

After completion of tertiary education, some are employed immediately, some get married immediately, others become business men, and some remain unemployed for more than year. Some fresh graduates remain unemployed because the salaries which prospective employers offer seems to be too small to work for.

 My advice is that, it’s better to earn a little income than staying home doing nothing. Additionally, experience and exposure are gained. Each graduate has a different experience about the industry, the best thing to do as a student is to prepare for the industry before completion by doing the aforementioned advice. Thank you for reading.

Editors Commentary

“Human beings are in search of hope. Not false hope, but hope that gives birth to new possibilities and the promise of a great future.”-Temwani Muuchili Phiri.

“You might be locked inside a world that is not of your own making, but you still have a claim on how you want it to be shaped.  When it comes to belief, as with everything in life; you have a choice to or not to” – Kelly Kalupandi Kantumoya